As a
fulfillment of Yaakov’s blessing to Yosef, fathers bless their sons on
Friday night that they should grow up to be like Ephraim and Menashe. Of all
of our ancestors, why do we specifically bless our children to be like
Ephraim and Menashe and not Avrohom, Yitzchok, Yaakov, Yosef, or any of the
other tribes? If there is something unique about them, why don’t we just
choose one of them to mention; what is the intent of blessing our sons to be
like both of them?

The
Mikdash Mordechai, Meged Yosef, and Rav Eliezer Sorotzkin answer that almost
from the beginning of time, there has been a problem of sibling rivalry. It
was responsible for the first murder in history, when Kayin killed his
brother Hevel as he was jealous that his brother’s sacrifice found favor in
Hashem’s eyes and his own did not. Yishmael had to be sent away to protect
Yitzchok, and Yaakov had to flee for his life from his brother Eisav.
Certainly Yaakov’s children were no strangers to jealousy, as they almost
killed Yosef for being their father’s favorite child.

On the
other hand, Yaakov blessed the younger Ephraim to be greater than the older
Menashe, which certainly would have been grounds for fighting and anger, yet
we find no hint of ill will between them. As the Shabbos Queen comes to
permeate our houses with an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, we
specifically bless our sons that they should go in the ways of Ephraim and
Menashe and there be only peace and harmony between them always.

Yissochor chamor garem choveitz bein
hamishp’sayim (49:14)

Rav Tzvi
Markovitz questions why the tribe of Yissochor, whose descendants are known
for their dedication to Torah study, is specifically compared to a donkey as
opposed to any other animal. He posits that while the Torah scholars also
“carry a load” similar to a donkey, this parallel isn’t sufficient, as there
are other animals – such as horses – which are also capable of transporting
heavy burdens.

Rather,
Rav Markovitz points out that all animals carrying loads must inevitably
stop to rest, but there is a critical difference in how they do so. When
horses stop for a break, their burden must be removed until they are ready
to continue, as opposed to donkeys which are able to lie down and rest even
while still carrying the weight on their backs.

It is
specifically to them that the tribe of Yissochor is compared, as those who
“carry the load of Torah” must also periodically stop to recharge, but the
distinguishing characteristic of true B’nei Torah is that even at these
moments, they conduct themselves in accord with their year-round behavior,
never casting off their “burden” for a moment.

This can
be contrasted to a well-known, if perhaps apocryphal, story which is related
about Artistotle. As the story goes, in between lessons his students once
bumped into him “on the wrong side of town,” in an area known for its
immoral activities. Unable to reconcile his current behavior with the lofty
philosophical teachings he espoused during his lectures, they asked for an
explanation (what they were doing there has never been established). He
allegedly answered them, “When class is in session, I am the great
Aristotle, and I share my pearls of wisdom with the world. At other times, I
am not the Aristotle with whom you are familiar,” a concept which the Torah
hints to us is entirely foreign to our way of life.

Prior to
his death, Yaakov gathered together his 12 sons, who represented the 12
tribes from which all Jews would be descended, and gave each of them a
blessing which was uniquely suited for his unique role within the Jewish
nation. In blessing his son Yissachar, whose descendants are traditionally
associated with the study of Torah, Yaakov noted that “he saw that peaceful
serenity is good and that the land was enjoyable, and he bent his shoulder
to bear a heavy load.”

Rav
Yerucham Levovitz, the great Mashgiach (spiritual supervisor) of the Mir
yeshiva in Europe, points out an apparent contradiction in the verse. It
begins by referring to the comfortable life of tranquility and the pleasant
land enjoyed by the tribe of Yissachar, something which we can relate to and
envision with little difficulty. However, just as we begin dreaming about
the tropical pleasures that Yissachar must have had, Yaakov continues and
describes his life of tranquility as one in which he bent his shoulder to
work hard and carry a weighty burden, which hardly matches the mental images
we would associate with Yissachar’s lot based on his initial description.

During
World War II, all of European Jewry was under attack and in shambles. Even
those who managed to hide or escape lived daily with the fear that numerous
family members were unaccounted for and may not have been as fortunate. In
the midst of all of this unprecedented destruction and uncertainty, the
students of the Mir yeshiva stuck together and fled across Russia to Japan,
China, and ultimately to freedom in the United States.

During
one stage of their flight, they were on a boat which encountered choppy
waters. As if they didn’t have enough to worry about regarding the plight of
their brethren back in Eastern Europe, many of those on the boat became
quite anxious as the boat was tossed and turned, wondering if they would
ever reach their intended destination. Meanwhile, the illustrious Rosh
Yeshiva, Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz, was oblivious to the situation around him,
completely absorbed in the difficult book Shev Shmaitsa that he was
studying. Somebody approached him for guidance and comfort, asking “Where
are we holding?” As he was referring to the plight of the boat, he was quite
taken aback when Rav Chaim, completely engrossed in his studies, took it as
a question about the book and innocently responded, “Shmaitsa
Gimel (Chapter 3)!”

Rav
Yerucham explains that Yaakov was coming to teach us that the true
definition of peace and tranquility is the exact opposite of what people are
accustomed to thinking. The American attitude is that true calm and serenity
can only be had on a quiet beach, curled up with a good book and a martini,
enjoying the backdrop of gentle waves crashing and the sun warming our
bodies, with nobody around to disturb us (not even our Blackberries).

While
this is indeed a pleasant and appealing mental image, it by definition
restricts our inner state and makes it dependent on external factors beyond
our control, implying that if we are unable to be in the situation and
circumstances that we would ideally prefer, then inner bliss is
unfortunately unattainable at that moment. After a bit of reflection, we
should realize that this could hardly be the meaning of true inner
tranquility and satisfaction.

The Torah
comes to teach us that our mission in this world is to rise above whatever
situations life may throw our way, not to focus outward but inward. If we
carry within ourselves an untouchable reserve of inner joy and serenity,
then we will be able to remain happy and calm throughout life’s journeys and
tests, the circumstances of which are all too often beyond our control. By
blessing Yissachar and his descendants to carry within themselves the yoke
of studying Torah and doing mitzvos, Yaakov was revealing to them – and to
us – the key to true simchas ha’chayim (happiness and peace).

The Torah
seems to indicate that Yaakov blessed each and every one of his sons. This
is difficult to understand, as Rashi seems to explain his words to Reuven,
Shimon, and Levi more like words of rebuke than of blessing. In what way was
his harsh criticism considered a blessing?

Rav Uri
Weissblum answers that we must redefine our understanding of a blessing. If
somebody is sick but doesn’t realize it, or perhaps knows that he is sick
but is unable to diagnose his illness, a doctor who comes along and points
out to him his sickness and clarifies its treatment is indeed offering him a
tremendous gift. Similarly, if a person’s friend has a large pot with a hole
in the side, rather than giving him gifts to put in the pot which will only
fall out and leave him with nothing, the preferable option would be to bring
the hole to his attention so that he may fix it, at which point he will then
be able to retain his future acquisitions.

Therefore, Yaakov felt that the most appropriate “blessing” he could offer
to his 3 eldest sons was to point out to them characteristics which needed
improvement (Reuven’s impetuosity and Shimon and Levi’s anger). Calling
their spiritual illnesses to their attention would allow them to “plug the
holes,” become whole, and ready for future blessings.

Rav
Yisroel Salanter points out that everybody has his own personal “holes”
which need fixing, and he suggests that this is the intent of the Mishnah in
Avos (4:2) u’boreiach min ha’aveirah – a person should flee from “the sin.”
He explains that every person has within himself one bad middah (character
trait) which forms the root of his personal issues and difficulties, which
of course the yetzer hara (evil inclination) will attempt to hide and
disguise so as to prevent its cure. By calling their personal weak spots to
their attention, Yaakov was indeed giving them a tremendous blessing.

However,
Rav Dovid Feinstein adds that the rebuke can only be considered a blessing
if one indeed accepts it and learns from it. Rav Shimon Schwab notes that
although Yaakov referred to Shimon and Levi as “brothers” (49:5) and seemed
to equate them in all of their actions, Levi’s descendants became one of the
tribes of Torah scholars while Shimon’s descendants included Zimri who
sinned publicly with a Midianite woman (Bamidbar 25:6, 14).

Rav
Schwab posits that the difference between them was that unlike Shimon, Levi
accepted the rebuke, internalized his father’s words, and uprooted his
negative character traits, and indeed it was Levi’s descendant Pinchas who
would kill Shimon’s offspring Zimri for his sin. We may derive from here
that it is not one’s sins or what happens to a person that is critical, but
rather what he makes of them. Yaakov teaches that if a person learns from
his flaws and difficulties and repents his ways, he can turn even his
biggest mistakes into the greatest of blessings.

Parsha Points to Ponder
(and sources which discuss them):

1)Rashi writes (47:29) that in requesting Yosef to
place his hand under his thigh, Yaakov was requesting him to take an oath
not to bury him in Egypt. The Ramban (26:5) writes that the Avos only
observed the mitzvos when they were in Eretz Yisroel, and therefore Yaakov
was permitted to marry two sisters when he was outside of Eretz Yisroel. If
so, what was the purpose of Yosef swearing not to bury his father in Egypt,
as he took the oath outside of Eretz Yisroel and according to the Ramban it
wasn’t binding? (Chida, Shu”t Avnei Nezer Yoreh Deah 2:306)

2)It is customary to quote the blessing which Yaakov
gave to his grandchildren (48:20) as fathers bless their sons every Friday
night that they should grow up to be like Ephraim and Menashe. While doing
so, should one place only one hand on his child’s head or do so with both
hands? (Siddur Yaavetz, Vilna Gaon quoted in Torah Temimah Bamidbar 6:23
footnote 131)

3)The blessing which Yaakov gave to Yehuda (49:8-12)
contains all of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet except for one. What
letter is missing, and what is its significance? (Rabbeinu Bechaye)

4)Rashi writes (49:13) that the tribe of Zevulun
engaged in commerce and shared their profits with the tribe of Yissochor in
order to allow them to be free to engage in the study of Torah. For enabling
this Torah learning, the tribe of Zevulun receives half of the reward for
the study that occurs as a result of their financial support. Is the reward
given to Zevulun deducted from that which the Torah scholars of Yissochor
will receive for their learning? (Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh Shemos 30:13,
Chiddushei HaRim Avos 2:12, Vilna Gaon quoted in Taam V’Daas, Shu”t Igros
Moshe Yoreh Deah 4:37, Chavatzeles HaSharon)

5)Other than before going to bed, when is a person
supposed to say liyehuas’cha kivisi Hashem – I await Your salvation, Hashem
– part of the blessing Yaakov gave to Dan (49:18)? (Mishnah Berurah 230:7)

6)When Shimi ben Geira cursed Dovid HaMelech, Dovid
ordered that he not be punished for doing so, explaining (Shmuel 2 16:11)
that “Hashem told him to curse me.” Before his death, why did Dovid then
command his son Shlomo (Melochim 1 2:9) to hold him accountable for his
actions and avenge the curse by using his wisdom to bring Shimi down to the
grave in blood?